When the doctor said my mom would die...

It was about 11 in the morning and my mother was bleeding profusely from her mouth. Her dress turned red.

On seeing the most loved one suffer, it churned my stomach inside out. We quickly called for the ambulance and rushed her to the emergency ward. She had been fighting cancer for 12 months now. Bravely. And she was just 60. Young, very young to die.

While the doctors were attending to her, the chief called me over. "You better take her back to your home. She's going to die by tomorrow afternoon," he said.

The earth came crashing down. I was devastated, although she had been ailing for some time. And we all knew the consequences.

What happened after that will melt even a stone heart.

After the chief left, she signaled for me to come over. I sat by her bedside and she gestured, "what did the doctor say?"

Believe me I was fighting tears because she'd be distraught if she knew the truth. Holding back my tears, I lied to her. "He said you'll be fine in a few days."

She smiled. 

Only later did I realise that she did so that this whole thing could be easier on me. She could not see me suffer.